Hip Replacement (Hip Arthroplasty)

The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint made up of the top of the thigh bone or femur (ball) and the acetabulum (socket) in the pelvis. The ends of the bone, as with all joints, are covered with a smooth, cushioning layer called articular cartilage. The articular cartilage is what allows the bones to glide smoothly. When arthritis wears this cartilage down to bare bone, the results can range from minor stiffness (and sometimes a clicking or catching sensation) to persistent pain and limited range of motion.

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In this series of videos, Thomas P. Sculco, MD discusses total hip replacement surgery, including the causes, treatments, risks, benefits and the future of total hip replacement surgery.

When symptoms progress to limiting pain - particularly night pain that interrupts sleep - and stiffness that cannot be controlled with anti-inflammatory medications, as well as difficulty engaging in everyday activities, a total hip replacement (or, in some cases, a hip resurfacing procedure) should be considered to ease pain and restore functionality.

While hip replacements are most often performed to provide relief for severe arthritic conditions, the surgery is also performed for other problems like hip fractures. Many people with hip problems are seeking hip replacement procedures at a younger age to keep pace with their active lifestyles; as a result, implant designs and surgical technologies are being refined and updated more rapidly than ever before. Hospital for Special Surgery continues to contribute to this progress with significant research programs and clinical trials currently underway at the Hospital.

In recent years, minimally invasive hip replacement surgery has become a safe, effective, improved technique. This procedure - pioneered at Hospital for Special Surgery - reduces the size of the incision while minimizing trauma, reducing length of hospital stay, and limiting adverse reactions to anesthesia. A regional, localized application of anesthesia is most often employed with this technique, and the Department of Anesthesiology at Hospital for Special Surgery is the premier Department in the world for the practice of regional anesthesia for orthopedics. Likewise, the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Division (ARJR) at Hospital for Special Surgery is a world-renowned team of orthopaedic surgeons, nurses, and physiotherapists dedicated to the treatment of adult patients with disorders of the hip and knee, with a focus on hip and knee replacement procedures.

To learn more about hip replacement, access the articles, audio clips, and video programs listed below.